U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions yesterday visited the Guantanamo Bay prison camp, in southeast Cuba, to show his support for the use of these installations in the future, according to what one of the Justice Department’s spokespersons, Ian Prior, said to EFE.
The spokesperson specified that the purpose of the trip by Sessions and his deputy, Rod Rosenstein, was to meet “with the people on the ground who are leading our government-wide efforts” in the Guantanamo base, as well as to have an “up-to-date” understanding of current operations.
“Recent attacks in Europe and elsewhere confirm that the threat to our nation is immediate and real, and it remains essential that we use every lawful tool available to prevent as many attacks as possible,” said Prior.
Sessions, one of U.S. President Donald Trump’s closest advisers, already expressed in March, during an interview with conservative radio talk show host Hugh Hewitt, his support for the detention center for presumed terrorists in the Guantanamo base.
At the time Sessions said that it was a very good place to imprison that type of dangerous criminals.
Former President Barack Obama (2009-2017) promised to close Guantanamo when he came to power in 2009 and, although he was unable to keep his promise, he was able to reduce the inmate population from 242 to 41 with the transference of almost 200 individuals to third countries.
During the electoral campaign Trump said he was against the release of prisoners and, in addition, promised to maintain and expand that prison to load it with “bad dudes.”
A while after the Guantanamo prison was opened by orders of then U.S. President George W. Bush (2001-2009) after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks it got to hold 800 prisoners.
Cubans and Americans give their opinions about the Guantanamo Naval Base.